Sensing track characteristics on a track vehicle using replaceable track sensors

Abstract

A track for a track vehicle has sensor-receiving cavities disposed therein. Removeable sensors are placed in the sensor-receiving cavities for sensing characteristics of the track during operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tracked machine comprising:
 a track comprising:
 a continuous belt having a plurality of sensor receiving cavities, each sensor receiving cavity having a respective cavity access opening; 
 a plurality of sensors, each sensor, of the plurality of sensors, disposed in a respective sensor receiving cavity and removable from the respective sensor receiving cavity through the respective cavity access opening; and 
 an inner surface feature configured to engage a corresponding drive roller of the tracked machine; 
 
 a sensor problem detector configured to:
 detect a problem with a particular sensor of the plurality of sensors; 
 identify a location of a particular sensor receiving cavity, of the plurality of sensor receiving cavities, in which the particular sensor is disposed; and 
 generate a sensor problem output indicative of the problem with the sensor and the location; 
 
 a control system that generates a control signal based on the sensor problem output; and 
 a replacement detector configured to detect replacement of the particular sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The tracked machine of  claim 1 , wherein the control signal controls an interface mechanism to generate an indication based on the sensor problem output. 
     
     
       3. The tracked machine of  claim 1 , wherein the problem with the particular sensor comprises at least one of:
 a lack of a signal from the particular sensor; or 
 a variation of a signal from the particular sensor that meets an error condition. 
 
     
     
       4. The tracked machine of  claim 1 , wherein the replacement detector is configured to detect the replacement of the particular sensor based on a unique identifier associated with a replacement sensor. 
     
     
       5. The tracked machine of  claim 1 , and further comprising a closure mechanism configured to close the respective cavity access opening and inhibit removal of the particular sensor through the respective cavity access opening. 
     
     
       6. The tracked machine of  claim 5 , wherein the closure mechanism comprises a plug. 
     
     
       7. The tracked machine of  claim 1 , wherein the particular sensor comprises a first zone sensor, and the control system is configured to:
 identify a first location of the first zone sensor; 
 determine a first zone characteristic, representing a first zone of the track, based on a sensor signal from the first zone sensor; and 
 determine a second zone characteristic, representing a second zone of the track, based on the sensor signal from the first zone sensor. 
 
     
     
       8. The tracked machine of  claim 1 , wherein the particular sensor comprises a first zone sensor corresponding to a first zone of the track, and further comprising a second zone sensor corresponding to a second zone of the track, wherein the control system is configured to:
 determine a first zone characteristic, representing the first zone of the track, based on a first sensor signal from the first zone sensor; 
 determine a second zone characteristic, representing the second zone of the track, based on a second sensor signal from the second zone sensor; and 
 estimating a third zone characteristic based on the first zone characteristic and the second zone characteristic. 
 
     
     
       9. A tracked machine comprising
 a track comprising:
 a continuous belt having a plurality of sensor receiving cavities; 
 a plurality of sensors, each sensor, of the plurality of sensors, disposed in a respective sensor receiving cavity of the plurality of sensor receiving cavities; and 
 an inner surface feature configured to engage a corresponding drive roller of the tracked machine; 
 
 a sensor problem detector configured to:
 detect a problem with a particular sensor of the plurality of sensors; 
 identify a location of a particular sensor receiving cavity, of the plurality of sensor receiving cavities, in which the particular sensor is disposed; and 
 generate a sensor problem output indicative of the problem and the location; and 
 
 a control system that generates a control signal based on the sensor problem output. 
 
     
     
       10. The tracked machine of  claim 9 , wherein the control signal controls an interface mechanism to generate an indication that indicates the location of the particular sensor receiving cavity and a recommendation to replace the particular sensor. 
     
     
       11. A method of operating a tracked machine having a track, the method comprising:
 operating a drive roller corresponding to the track of the tracked machine, the track comprising:
 a continuous belt having a plurality of sensor receiving cavities; 
 a plurality of sensors, each sensor, of the plurality of sensors, disposed in a respective sensor receiving cavity of the plurality of sensor receiving cavities; and 
 an inner surface feature configured to engage the drive roller, and 
 
 detecting, with a sensor problem detector, a problem related to a particular sensor of the plurality of sensors; 
 identifying a location of a particular sensor receiving cavity, of the plurality of sensor receiving cavities, in which the particular sensor is disposed; 
 generating a sensor problem output indicative of the problem and the location; and 
 generating, by a control system, a control signal based on the sensor problem output. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal to control an interface mechanism to generate an indication of the problem related to the particular sensor based on the sensor problem output and a recommendation to replace the particular sensor based on the sensor problem output. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein detecting, with the sensor problem detector, the problem related to the particular sensor comprises:
 detecting, with the sensor problem detector, an error of the particular sensor. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein detecting, with the sensor problem detector, the problem related to the particular sensor comprises:
 detecting, with the sensor problem detector, a variation of a signal generated by the particular sensor; and 
 determining that the variation meets an error condition. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , wherein detecting, with the sensor problem detector, the problem related to the particular sensor comprises;
 detecting, with the sensor problem detector, a lack of signal from the particular sensor. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , and further comprising:
 removing, from the continuous belt, a closure mechanism that covers the particular sensor receiving cavity; 
 removing the particular sensor from the particular sensor receiving cavity; 
 inserting a replacement sensor in the particular sensor receiving cavity; and 
 after inserting the replacement sensor in the particular sensor receiving cavity, reattaching the closure mechanism or a replacement closure mechanism to the continuous belt to again cover the particular sensor receiving cavity. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , and further comprising:
 inserting the replacement sensor in the sensor receiving cavity of the continuous belt; and 
 applying force to the replacement sensor to overcome a frictional resistance between the replacement sensor and a surface of the sensor receiving cavity. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , and further comprising:
 replacing, based on the problem, the particular sensor with the replacement sensor by inserting the replacement sensor into a sensor-receiving element disposed in the particular sensor receiving cavity. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , and further comprising:
 removing, from the continuous belt, a closure mechanism that covers a sensor-receiving element disposed within the particular sensor receiving cavity; 
 removing the particular sensor from the sensor-receiving element; 
 inserting the replacement sensor into the sensor-receiving element disposed within the particular sensor receiving cavity; and 
 after inserting the replacement sensor in the particular sensor receiving cavity, reattaching the closure mechanism or a replacement closure mechanism to the continuous belt to again cover the sensor-receiving element.